Types of Owls in New York: Identification Guide
New York is home to several owls, including the great horned, barred, eastern screech, and barn owls, plus long-eared, short-eared, and northern saw-whet owls and wintering snowy owls. From common residents to Arctic winter visitors, New York offers rewarding owling. This guide covers the types of owls in New York, how to identify them, and where to see them.
| Owl | Key Feature |
|---|---|
| Great Horned Owl | Large, ear tufts, deep hoots |
| Barred Owl | Dark eyes, “who cooks for you” |
| Eastern Screech-Owl | Small, ear tufts, trilling call |
| Barn Owl | Pale, heart-shaped face |
| Long-eared Owl | Slim, tall ear tufts |
| Short-eared Owl | Open fields, day-flying |
| Northern Saw-whet Owl | Tiny, tooting call |
| Snowy Owl | White, winter visitor |
How Many Types of Owls Live in New York?
New York hosts a good variety of owls, with several resident species and additional owls arriving in winter. The great horned owl is the largest and most widespread, found statewide in woods, farmland, and parks, while the barred owl is common in mature and swampy forests, known for its distinctive hooting. The eastern screech-owl is a small, common owl of woodlands and towns, and the barn owl, though less common, hunts over open fields and grasslands. In winter, New York hosts long-eared and short-eared owls, the short-eared hunting over open country at dusk, and the tiny northern saw-whet owl breeds in the mountains and passes through in numbers. Snowy owls arrive from the Arctic in some winters, especially along Lake Ontario, the coast, and open country, and in the Adirondacks rare boreal owls and even great gray owls have appeared. Understanding New York owls begins with these species, part of the wider group covered in our guide to types of owls.
Common New York Owls and How to Identify Them
Several owls are especially worth knowing in New York. The great horned owl is a large owl with prominent ear tufts, a barred body, and a white throat, giving deep, resonant hoots. The barred owl is a stocky, round-headed owl with dark eyes, brown barring, and a famous call that sounds like “who cooks for you,” favoring wet woods and swamps. The eastern screech-owl is small with ear tufts, camouflaged in gray or reddish tones, giving a descending whinny and a trill. The barn owl is pale and ghostly, with a white, heart-shaped face and golden-buff upperparts, hunting silently over open ground. The short-eared owl is a medium owl of open fields, often seen flying low over grasslands at dusk, while the northern saw-whet owl is a tiny, rounded owl of forests with a repetitive tooting call. Each owl is a thrilling find, as explored in our guide to types of owls in Illinois.
Where to See Owls in New York
Owls can be found across New York in a range of habitats. Mature forests, swampy woods, and wooded parks are excellent for barred owls, whose calls carry at night, and for great horned owls, which also use woodlots, farmland edges, and city parks. Eastern screech-owls live in woodlands, parks, and suburban yards with mature trees, readily using nest boxes. Barn owls hunt over open fields and farmland, nesting in barns, silos, and boxes. Open grasslands, reclaimed fields, and agricultural areas are the place to find short-eared owls at dusk in winter, and dense conifer groves can hide roosting long-eared owls. The boreal forests of the Adirondacks host breeding northern saw-whet owls and, rarely, boreal owls, while Lake Ontario, the coast, and open plains attract snowy owls in some winters. Because different owls favor different habitats and seasons, New York offers rewarding owling year-round, as detailed in our guide to types of hawks in New York.
Snowy Owl Irruptions in New York
One of the most exciting winter events for New York birders is the arrival of snowy owls, and the reason behind it is fascinating. According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, snowy owls breed in the Arctic tundra and their numbers and movements are closely tied to populations of lemmings, the small rodents that are their main summer food. In years when lemmings are abundant, snowy owls can raise many young, and these birds may then move south in winter in events called irruptions, when unusually large numbers appear far south of the Arctic. During these irruption winters, snowy owls turn up in New York along Lake Ontario, the Great Lakes plains, coastal beaches, and even at airports, whose flat open ground resembles tundra. A snowy owl perched on a dune, fence post, or snowy field is a magnificent sight. These irruptions vary from year to year, making each winter a new possibility, as explored in our guide to types of owls in Illinois.
How to Find Owls in New York
Finding owls in New York is rewarding given the state’s variety of owls and habitats. Listening is often the best method, since most owls are vocal at dusk and during the night, especially in late winter and early spring when great horned and barred owls are calling to establish territories, so a quiet evening in the right habitat can reveal owls by ear, and learning their calls helps. During the day, watch for owls roosting in dense evergreens, in tree cavities, or against trunks, and look for clues like whitewash and pellets beneath a favored roost. In winter, scan open grasslands and reclaimed fields at dusk for short-eared owls, check dense conifer stands for long-eared owls, and watch Lake Ontario, the coast, and open plains for snowy owls in irruption years. The boreal Adirondacks offer a chance at breeding saw-whet owls and, rarely, boreal owls. New York rewards the patient owl seeker, as explored in our guide to types of hawks in New York.
Owls Through the Seasons in New York
New York owls offer different rewards across the year, and knowing their rhythms helps you enjoy them. Late winter and early spring are prime, since great horned owls nest early and both they and barred owls call frequently to defend territories, making them easier to detect by ear on cold, still evenings. Spring and summer bring nesting, with screech-owls raising young in cavities and boxes and saw-whet owls breeding in the mountains. Fall sees movement, as saw-whet owls and others migrate, sometimes turning up in unexpected places, and banding stations reveal their surprising numbers. Winter is the season of open-country owling, when short-eared owls hunt over grasslands and reclaimed fields at dusk, long-eared owls gather in dense conifer roosts, and in irruption years snowy owls arrive along Lake Ontario, the coast, and open plains. By watching through the seasons and listening in the right habitats, New York birders can enjoy a changing cast of owls all year.
Appreciating New York Owls
New York owls are a rewarding group to appreciate, both for their variety and for the atmosphere they bring to the state’s wild places. From the deep hooting of the great horned owl and the swamp-loving barred owl to the tiny saw-whet of the mountains and the winter arrival of snowy owls, the state offers year-round owling with real highlights. Learning the calls, watching for roosting owls by day, and seeking short-eared and snowy owls in winter all deepen the experience. Because owls are mysterious and mostly nocturnal, finding one feels like a special reward. Taking the time to appreciate New York’s owls connects you to the quiet, wild side of the state’s forests, farmland, mountains, and shorelines.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many types of owls are in New York?
New York hosts several owls, including the great horned, barred, eastern screech, and barn owls, plus long-eared, short-eared, and northern saw-whet owls and wintering snowy owls.
What is the most common owl in New York?
The great horned owl and the barred owl are among the most common and widespread owls in New York, both found across the state in woods, swamps, and wooded edges.
What owl says “who cooks for you” in New York?
The barred owl gives the famous call that sounds like “who cooks for you, who cooks for you all.” It is common in New York’s mature and swampy forests.
Can you see snowy owls in New York?
Yes, snowy owls visit New York in some winters, especially along Lake Ontario, coastal beaches, airports, and open plains, where these Arctic owls perch in open country.
What is the smallest owl in New York?
The northern saw-whet owl is the smallest owl in New York, a tiny owl that breeds in the mountains and passes through in numbers, known for its repetitive tooting call.
Where do short-eared owls live in New York?
Short-eared owls hunt over open grasslands, reclaimed fields, and agricultural areas in New York, often seen flying low at dusk, mainly in winter.
Where can you see owls in New York?
Look in mature and swampy woods for barred and great horned owls, wooded yards for screech-owls, open fields for short-eared owls, and Lake Ontario and the coast for winter snowy owls.
